12-year-old Peyton Robertson was certainly guided by a cause when his own hometown in Florida was hit by flooding, a recurring problem for many areas. In 2014 he invented a better sandbag that was easy transportable and very effective. This is one of his inventions created from a passion to create in order to solve problems around him.
One of Africa’s leading environmentalists and a political activist, Wangari Maathai was the first African woman (in East and Central Africa) to earn a doctorate degree. And, in 2004 she was the first African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her work on sustainable development in Kenya among other things.
The Yangtze River in China is the third-longest river in the world, sustaining life for about 400 million people. But, the aquatic life in China’s principal waterway is under serious threat of extinction from pollution and development.
This collection of anecdotes provides insight into the day-to-day life, thoughts, fears, and hopes of everyday people who have lived or are living without a home of their own.
When she was 14 years old June Eric Udorie decided that instead of receiving presents, she wanted donations to buy presents for the children in the local orphanage. Read how she felt about her decision when Christmas day arrived.
Neha Chauhan is the founder of AFA Teens: Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness. Her research into Alzheimer’s disease began while at high school.
Read a short summary about some of the many charities that have made phenomenal achievements over the years. Each one has a completely different approach to raising awareness and raising funds, from TV entertainment shows to ice bucket challenges.
Ann Makosinski is an 18-year-old student with an interesting childhood story about her introduction to innovation. From an early age, she learned to create and build and make the most of what was around her.
Loosing his eyesight at age 2 did not dampen the spirit and determination of Tommy Carroll. His strong self-belief surpassed his blindness and he went on to meet his skateboard hero.
Which countries rank as the top ten most generous when it comes to donating to charitable causes?
In 1995, Oseola McCarty donated $150,000, the majority of her life savings, to The University of Southern Mississippi. The donation made a huge impact on the lives of the African-American students from southern Mississippi who received scholarships to study at the University.
Read about how 11-year-old Sonali Ranaweera, with the help of her friends, turned $100 – and a lot of old tin cans and bottles – into $34,000 to donate to charity.
Jeff Hanson has a visual impairment himself but has used his talent as an artist to hugely benefit those less fortunate.
SOAR is an organization in Ireland which provides programs for young people aged between 10 and 18 that focus on positive life skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. Gripped by the impact of a similar project in Australia, Tony Griffin and Karl Swan were totally inspired to realize the potential of this work for Ireland’s youth. Click the left-side links for more information.
As the circumstances of those fleeing Syria’s long civil war grow more dire, it sometimes seems like too daunting a problem for one person to help solve from half a world away. A Washington elementary student thinks otherwise, though.
Father Peter McVerry has been working tirelessly for over 40 years on behalf of young, homeless, vulnerable people in Dublin city, Ireland. He was recently awarded an honorary degree from Trinity College, Dublin, for his lifetime work for human rights.
Read about what spurred on five different U.S. teenagers to utilize the internet and social media to make a lasting change on the lives of others.
In England and Wales there are 170,000 known young carers under the age of 18, who provide care for a family member or friend. However, it’s believed that the real figure is more in the region of 700,000! Read about one carer–Sarah Thomas, now 18–who has been looking after both her parents since she can remember.
Many teens enjoy tinkering with simple robots, but a 14-year-old in Ohio has turned this fun hobby into a mission to help others.
Read about a non-profit organization set up by a 9-year old girl to use knitting as a tool to help educate women around the world.
